


Inside and Out: the Cut Scenes

by Raine_Wynd



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Chuck Hansen Lives, Cussing, Cut Scene, Drinking, Gossip, M/M, News Media, Pre-Slash, Swearing, The Drift (Pacific Rim), post-operation pitfall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-05-07
Packaged: 2019-11-09 00:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17991146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raine_Wynd/pseuds/Raine_Wynd
Summary: 7000+ words I didn't include as the beginning of Inside and Out, and hate to delete without sharing first.





	Inside and Out: the Cut Scenes

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Inside and Out](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1492468) by [Raine_Wynd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raine_Wynd/pseuds/Raine_Wynd). 



> This was meant to be the introductory parts to Inside and Out, but I scrapped it because it wasn't working for me. I still like it, so here you go. Feedback appreciated!
> 
> Rating: adult, and the relationships are all gen at this point, with hints of Chuck/Raleigh.

“We go live now to our PNN correspondent in Hong Kong, Anne Kung. Anne, what can you tell us about the PPDC’s efforts?”  
  
“Brian, jaeger spotters reported the jumphawk helicopters transported Striker Eureka and Gipsy Danger to a location experts say is approximately 600 meters from the Breach at 0800, that’s eight o’clock this morning local time. It’s been several hours and several sonic booms, including one consistent with a nuclear explosion, have been recorded. However, no escape pods have been spotted. An international military contingent has drawn a cordon around the area where escape pods are likely to be found, which prevents us from finding out any further details. The UN is not commenting on the military maneuvers; however, the Australian, U.S., and Chinese navies have stated they are conducting a joint training exercise. “  
  
“Any word on who is piloting the two jaegers? We know from the statement that was released two days ago that Ranger Lieutenant Hercules Hansen broke his arm during the kaiju attack on Hong Kong.”  
  
“Brian, the PPDC isn’t saying, but unofficial reports claim that Marshal Stacker Pentecost is in the right harness for Striker Eureka alongside Ranger Chuck Hansen, and that both Ranger Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori are in Gipsy Danger as they were in the defense of Victoria Harbor and downtown Hong Kong, with Raleigh once again in the right harness. If it’s true, then the old rumor that Chuck can only pilot with his father will be put to the test. Marshal Pentecost hasn’t piloted since his copilot in Coyote Tango, Tamsin Sevier, was diagnosed with terminal cancer.”  
  
“Anne, let’s hope that isn’t a detriment to their success, and we wish them the best. Thank you, Anne. We’ll be in touch for future updates. That was Anne Kung in Hong Kong. You’re watching the Pacific News Network. In other news today, stock prices are rising on speculation that the kaiju might be finally turned back…”  
  
“News junkie,” Mako teased Raleigh quietly from her position in the hospital bed she was currently sharing with him. The Shatterdome’s medical clinic was, like the ‘dome it served, the largest and most completely equipped combat medical clinic the PPDC had. Public nervousness over kaiju blue and radiation exposure had meant the jaeger pilots and their crews couldn’t be treated in just any hospital. As a result, the PPDC medical staff had developed some interesting protocols, like allowing copilots to be as close as possible. They also allowed teams who’d dropped together to know the medical status of any team member, having discovered the hard way that not doing so led to some previously undisclosed relationships.  
  
“I’d apologize,” Raleigh said with a grin as he shut off the video screen using the remote attached to their bed, “but I kinda wanna know what we’re up against. I mean, if they let us go tomorrow, I want to know if I have to spend the rest of my life out in the backwoods with a shotgun or if I can go out in public again.”  
  
Mindful of the IV lines, Mako squeezed Raleigh’s hand. “I’m sure we will be fine.” She studied him a moment. “Are we still ghost drifting? I feel like I can read your mind still. You are worried about Chuck.”  
  
Raleigh’s grin widened. “You are, and yes. If it bothers you, when the nurse comes back, ask her to set up a separate bed for you. Distance helps.”  
  
Mako shook her head. “It doesn’t bother me. I like it, actually.”  
  
“That explains why you were so angry at him when he called you a bitch,” Raleigh murmured. “He knew what that chance meant to you.” Raleigh was quiet a moment. “Why didn’t you tell me your history when I asked? We had plenty of time to talk before the trials. I wanted to get to know you as a friend, even if we didn’t become pilots together. It would’ve been easier if I’d known rather than been blindsided.”  
  
“I didn’t think I’d be one of the candidates,” Mako said apologetically. “I also wanted you to judge me for me, not for what happened to me more than a decade ago.”  
  
Raleigh chuckled dryly. “Even if I had recognized your name, I’d still think you’re amazing. But to be honest – I didn’t pay that close attention the news before. Yancy was the one who paid attention to that kind of stuff – I just wanted to kill kaiju.”  
  
“Is that why you’re so interested in Chuck?” Mako asked. “You see yourself in him?”  
  
“A little bit, yeah.” He laughed ruefully. “And I’ve always had a weakness for guys like him. I always figured they were covering for the fact they cared too much, y’know? Didn’t want people to get too close, so I tend to take that as a challenge.”  
  
Mako shook her head. “I begin to see why you used to get into fights all the time.”  
  
Raleigh grinned, unrepentant. “So, are you gonna tell me what the nurse told you while they were taping me up and making sure I hadn’t brought anything back from the Breach?”  
  
“Chuck is still in surgery,” she said. “They need to set his right wrist, and I think the surgeon said they were going to see if they needed to do anything to fix the ripped muscle in his leg. He will not be happy to be confined to a wheelchair.”  
  
“Is anyone ever happy to lose mobility?” Raleigh asked dryly.  
  
“True.” Mako shifted slightly, feeling the echo of Raleigh’s exhaustion as if it was her own. “Do you want me to go? I think you will sleep better if I am here next to you.”  
  
“You should sleep too,” Raleigh said. “You feel tired.”  
  
“I will if you will,” Mako countered, a hint of a smile on her lips.  
  
“You’re gonna be like that?”  
  
“Well,” she replied practically, “if we are going to be ghosting, we might as well sleep and let the dreams untangle us, since your preferred methods are not available to us.”  
  
Aware that she meant alcohol and sex, Raleigh shrugged slightly. He was bisexual, but out of respect for his brother, who was straight – and the tangled mess named Naomi that had almost gotten them kicked out of the Jaeger Academy – Raleigh had left the women to Yancy, just so they’d never have a repeat of chasing the same woman again. Mako was someone Raleigh adored, but he couldn’t risk sleeping with her. In his mind, if the relationship went sour, he’d be out of a copilot, and he didn’t want to face yet another round of trying to figure out who else would be willing to share his fucked-up brain space.  
  
“I’m sure there’ll be time enough for that later,” Raleigh said. “And for the record, Mako – if you weren’t my copilot…”  
  
Mako smiled. “When I was at the Academy, the instructors warned us that we needed to decide if we were willing to have sex with our copilots. I have always felt it would be too distracting to add that level of intimacy.”  
  
Raleigh chuckled, aware that his affection for her ran deep; he’d gotten burned with the way he tended to fall hard and instantly for people, but he’d realized, early on, that it was all or nothing for him. “You realize that the lucky guy who gets that far with you is gonna have to deal with me, too, y’know. You’re family now.”  
  
Mako curled into Raleigh’s right side. “He will cope, or else he will not be welcome in my bed. And you will not be the only one wanting to defend my honor – Herc and Chuck will, too, out of loyalty to Sensei if nothing else.”  
  
Raleigh shifted, tucking his right arm around her. “It’s okay to grieve, Mako.”  
  
She bit her lip. “It doesn’t feel real, yet. I think when I see Chuck, it will be.”  
  
Nodding, Raleigh pulled her in close. “Same here.”  
  
Mako smiled tenuously. “Then it probably best that we rest until then.” Tugging gently at the ghost drift between them, she urged Raleigh to close his eyes and rest.  
  


* * *

  
"We have successfully closed the Breach against further intrusion from the kaiju in a mission code named ‘Operation Pitfall,’" Herc said, looking directly at the camera. "Striker Eureka, piloted by my son and Marshal Stacker Pentecost, along with Gipsy Danger, piloted by Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori, began their assault yesterday morning 600 meters from the Breach. Despite heavy injuries from three of the biggest and fastest kaiju ever recorded, including one Category 5, the mission was a success and the Breach sealed by means of nuclear detonation. In the process, however, both jaegers were destroyed, and my good friend and mentor, Marshal Pentecost, was killed. Chuck, Raleigh, and Mako were seriously injured and are currently being cared for by Shatterdome medical personnel." Herc paused before adding, "No further activity has been detected in the Breach for the past 24 hours. We will continue monitoring to be certain no kaiju return.”  
  
The news anchor smiled at the camera as the recorded clip ended. "That was the newly promoted Marshal Hercules ‘Herc’ Hansen of the Pan Pacific Defense Corps with the good news, and you’re watching the Pacific News Network’s midday news report. I’m Brian Waller. The recording was released at 9 AM Hong Kong time this morning, confirming what many jaeger watchers and bloggers suspected. Our hearts go out to Mako Mori, who was Marshal Pentecost’s adopted daughter, and to the many friends Marshal Pentecost had all around the world. We also extend our prayers for a speedy recovery to Marshal Hansen, who broke his arm during the last kaiju attack on Hong Kong, and to Mako, Raleigh, and Chuck. We turn now to our expert on jaegers and kaiju, the former marshal of the Lima Shatterdome, José Esteban-Rizal. Marshal Esteban-Rizal, in addition to the video we just saw, the PPDC released the statistics on the last three kaiju killed, along with video shot from the telemetry. You’ve had a chance to review the data they sent. Are these numbers and photos real?"  
  
The Peruvian man smiled grimly. "If they sent it to you, they're real. I know Herc; he wouldn’t fake this. Not after all he and his son have risked. And to do it with two jaegers, underwater, where you can’t use the plasma cannons or the chest rockets because of water intrusion…” José shook his head admiringly. “I wouldn’t have done it in any jaeger, not up against those three kaiju.”  
  
"Not even Striker?" Brian asked anxiously.  
  
"Look, we saw what a kaiju did to Striker Eureka, Crimson Typhoon, and Cherno Alpha in Victoria Harbor," the former marshal said. "You had three of the most experienced pilot crews manning jaegers there. And what happened – the kaiju took them out. If it was me, I'm not sure what I would've done then."  
  
"What do you think of Raleigh Becket piloting again?"  
  
The former marshal looked at the news anchor like he was inordinately stupid. "Right now, I'm pretty damn grateful he did, aren't you? To put him with someone with no prior jaeger experience outside of the Academy, and for them to kick ass in Hong Kong against two kaiju that took out three of our most experienced jaeger teams…that’s Drift compatibility like he had with his brother. I’ve seen Mako’s simulator scores – 51 drops, 51 kills – she was one of the top graduates from the Academy, but sims aren’t the same thing as a live kaiju. Forget all the press about her being Toyko’s Daughter – she’s a jaeger pilot now, plain and simple. Raleigh couldn’t do it without her; let’s not forget she was in the right harness with him.  
  
“Then to go underwater, with Chuck Hansen piloting Striker with someone like Marshal Pentecost and not his father – that’s a lot of pressure and a lot of variables that would take out a lesser team, maybe make them think it’s all on them. That’s assuming it’s an ordinary day against a single kaiju, in daylight, above water. Three kaiju, the biggest and fastest the world’s ever recorded? That’s teamwork and trust, because you know they had to make choices about who was going to do what.” José looked at the camera. “I’m sorry about Stacker; he was a good friend and inspiration to us all. Herc – I’ve always said the end of the world wouldn’t happen as long as you were involved. Call me, you Aussie bastard. Miss Mori, Raleigh, and Chuck – thanks, and get well soon.”  
  
“Thank you, José. This is Brian Stevenson, and you’re watching the Pacific News Network. We’ll bring you more updates as they become available, and more reactions and analysis in a minute. First, we go to our UN correspondent, Emily Alan. Emily, what is the UN reaction to this news?”  
  
“Brian, the UN has issued a statement thanking the PPDC, and especially Marshal Pentecost, Marshal Hansen, Rangers Raleigh Becket, Chuck Hansen, and Mako Mori, and all of the jaeger pilots and their crews, for their dedication to service. The UN extends its sympathies to the families of the dead, and hopes that the four surviving pilots heal quickly. The UN was quick to praise the PPDC’s dedication to serving humanity against the world’s greatest threat. I’d like to take a moment to remind our viewers that the UN pulled funding from the Jaeger Program eight months ago, and that the PPDC did not have to continue. It was Marshal Pentecost’s dedication that inspired so many to help keep the program funded.”  
  
“They’re already backpedaling,” Raleigh noted as he sat up in the hospital bed, watching the newscast. Under the hospital gown he wore, burn bandages covered his left side down to the top of his thigh; Mako had a matching set.  
  
“You expected any less?” Chuck asked dryly from the bed on his left.  
  
“No,” Raleigh said. “Give ‘em another couple of hours and they’re going to try to claim we had secret orders to do this or some shit.”  
  
“You really believe they’d do that?” Mako asked. She’d moved to her own bed shortly before they’d wheeled Chuck back from surgery.  
  
“You heard ‘em before,” Chuck replied. “They’ll spin any win to their advantage. You heard what they said when my old man and I took down Mutavore. ‘It’s still a viable option. The wall in Sydney was clearly not built to proper standard,’ blah blah, blame the workers, not the people supplying the materials.” Chuck glanced over at Raleigh. “Or was I wrong on that?”  
  
Raleigh shook his head, not surprised that the younger pilot had guessed exactly what kind of construction he’d done. From the chatter they’d indulged in during the long jumphawk transport to the drop site, Raleigh had been left with the impression that Chuck believed in doing his homework to better fight kaiju. Part of that, Raleigh realized, had been also being educated about the impact of the Wall on the Jaeger Project.  
  
“No. There was a persistent rumor that some people had died because the steel was crap steel.”  
  
Chuck nodded. “Did you honestly think what you were building would work?”  
  
Raleigh laughed. “No, but…” he grinned sheepishly. “Nobody else wanted to hire a has-been jaeger pilot. Had to eat somehow, and I was going out of my head living in the backwoods, trying to live off the land like Yancy and I did after our dad split.”  
  
Chuck studied him. “You know how to hunt and fish?”  
  
Raleigh nodded. “Neighbor of ours taught us. Said we couldn’t be true Alaskan boys if we didn’t know how.”  
  
Chuck shuddered. “How you could deal with the guts and everything…”  
  
Raleigh laughed. “You’ve dealt with kaiju. How can you be squeamish about something smaller?”  
  
“Kaiju I’m supposed to kill,” Chuck replied loftily, and Mako grinned.  
  
“You forget, Raleigh,” Mako said gently, “Chuck and I grew up in Shatterdomes. The only reason I know how to cook and shop for food is because sensei felt I should know.”  
  
Raleigh considered this information a moment. “Remind me, when we get out of here, to cook something. If we’re in a open port, I bet we could get some good stuff, make a real dinner.”  
  
“Oi, don’t make me hungry,” Chuck griped. “Last time I had something freshly cooked that wasn’t mess hall food was more than a month ago.”  
  
“Soon as we get released, I’ll get the stuff together,” Raleigh promised, as Herc walked into the room, a small bag slung over his shoulder.  
  
“Aren’t you supposed to be wearing protective gear?” Mako asked, worried.  
  
“Your levels are within normal, all of you,” Herc replied as he set the bag down at the end of Raleigh’s bed, mindful of his feet. “Looks like all the precautionary measures we took to protect you worked, including that new fabric coating on the drive suits the manufacturer promised would shield you.” He smiled grimly. “Of course, since I’m an ex-Mark I pilot, they said that about that shit then, too, and so it’s a wait-and-see. For all I know, we’ll die of cancer for having saved the world.”  
  
“Anyone ever tell you you’re a ball of cheer?” Raleigh asked drolly.  
  
“Yeah,” Herc said, and pointed to Chuck. “You want something happier than that, you’re gonna have to find someone else to brief you.”  
  
All three sat up as straight as they could at that. “What’s going on?” Chuck asked.  
  
“The doctor plans on releasing you, officially, four days from now. Unofficially, you’re free to wander the ‘dome as you please as long as you don’t overexert yourselves and you stay out of sight of any open doors, windows, any place a telephoto lens might be able to catch you. I’ll walk Max outside, Chuck, so you’re gonna be dog-less unless you want to deal with a hyperactive bulldog.”  
  
Chuck groaned. “Hell no.”  
  
Not surprised by that answer, Herc went on, “We have that long of a time to plan the next phase – the Victory Tour, of which you’ll all have a part. That means we’re back to the old interview protocol – paid appearances only. Raleigh, you remember how that weeded out the stupid ones?”  
  
“Mostly,” he agreed. “Few of ‘em slipped by. I still don’t know how Yancy and I got roped to do the ribbon cutting on a new city park in Wisconsin. You have PR people still?”  
  
“Nicole Winslow, Pieter Kubrov, and May Louise,” Herc said with a nod.  
  
“I thought we left May in Sydney,” Chuck said, aggrieved.  
  
“No, you did; she came with, because you’re still alive to talk about it and she bet you’d be,” Herc told his son. “Which means you have to play nice.”  
  
Raleigh looked interested. “You mean you got edited, Chuck?”  
  
“Yeah,” Chuck said unhappily. “Really wanted to tell some people to fuck off about my age, especially that first year I was piloting.”  
  
“She helped me to deflect some of the interest in my survival,” Mako interjected. “So you’ll be using the three most experienced PR people the PPDC has left to coordinate the interviews. Will we have a script?”  
  
“Probably best to keep it loose, but focused,” Herc said, clearly thinking aloud. “Wouldn’t want it to sound too rehearsed, but check with them before you do any interviews. Mako, I know you were working on another jaeger before Gipsy was brought out of Oblivion Bay. Was that ever finished?”  
  
Mako shook her head. “It’s too much of a hybrid between the four models of jaegers, and some of the techs think it’s too haunted to work properly. It’s one of the reasons why I was so relieved when I received permission to bring a complete jaeger out of Oblivion Bay. The half-finished jaeger has a fatal disconnect between the wiring harnesses and the shoulder rockets. The techs think it’s because the code was not written to PPDC standard.”  
  
“Where’d the wiring harnesses come from?” Chuck asked.  
  
Mako shook her head. “It was from a Mark III. The shoulder rockets were slated for a jaeger that was never built.”  
  
Raleigh looked up at that. “Are they three-round burst or modified Gatling guns?” he asked.  
  
Mako goggled at him. “A hybrid of both,” she said, surprised.  
  
“Sounds like something the Gages dreamed up,” Raleigh said. “They were the next in line for a new jaeger – kept telling us it was going to be so sweet because the designers were listening to their ideas.”  
  
“That means they wrote the code for the shoulder rockets specific to their harnesses,” Chuck suggested. “Trent was apparently a hacker who hated the way the code was in Romeo Blue and turned it into something more efficient so they could do shit like fire controlled bursts and move less like the tank they were.”  
  
Raleigh nodded agreement. “They were proud of the fact that they’d improved their jaeger. Yancy and I used to give them shit about it that no matter how much they rewrote the code, they were still in a Mark I with a Gatling gun, which meant they were ill-suited for close-quarters combat.”  
  
Chuck stared at him a moment. “You gave them shit?”  
  
Raleigh laughed. “What, like you haven’t rubbed the fact that you had a Mark V in everyone’s faces?”  
  
Chuck had the grace to look sheepish. “Sure, but I dunno… I guess I just figured you’d have been more respectful of your elders or some shit.”  
  
Raleigh laughed again. “I didn’t finish high school, Chuck, and I passed my GED the day after we killed our second kaiju, and that’s only because some general got his pants in a twist when he found out my brother and I had been given a multi-million dollar machine and only one of us had graduated.” He looked over at the younger pilot. “You know damn well that when you’re eighteen and saving the world, you could care less what people think of you as long as they see you as a hero.”  
  
“Which,” Herc interjected, “leads me nicely to my next point. Sooner or later, someone’s gonna think we’re an army, and we want to take over the world. We’ve the tech, the patents, and the skills – so here’s what I want you to think about. I have the plans Stacker and I made, but I’m going to need you to think about how we can keep what we have, make sure the kaiju stay on their side of the Breach, and make sure no damn politician can sway the public into thinking we did it so we’d have the power to overthrow the world.” He paused. “We need another jaeger in case the Breach is reopened. How quickly do you think you could get that hybrid online?”  
  
“If we worked on it solid, had all the available techs, and I could borrow Raleigh and Chuck’s knowledge, three, four days maybe,” Mako estimated. “Some of the wiring – I haven’t looked at it in fifteen months, so I have no idea how good it still is. You know how temperature-sensitive some of it was. We could probably salvage parts from Striker and Gipsy, if there are any spare parts left.”  
  
“Whole kit of ‘em in the hanger bay for Striker,” Chuck said. “Pretty sure there’s parts for Crimson Typhoon, too, but I dunno if I want to wrangle with those. The Weis customized the programming for them. Probably be easier to swap out the circuit boards than to reprogram the lot.”  
  
Herc nodded agreement. “Without hurting yourselves, I’d like you to take a look at what we have.” He leveled a stare at Chuck. “That means no climbing in the rigging, Chuck.”  
  
Chuck’s lips twitched. “That was your brother’s fault.”  
  
Herc laughed. “Doesn’t mean it’s still not a valid restriction. Raleigh, I’d like for you to talk to Newt and Dr. Gottleib; they don’t know how to untangle themselves from the Drift.”  
  
“You want them talking to each other when they’re done?” Raleigh asked. “Because it sounded to me like they liked to argue.”  
  
“Do what you can; they’re insisting they need to talk to either you or me before they talk to the shrinks, and I get too frustrated with the way they won’t stay on point. Raleigh, the scientists are waiting for you in their lab. I told them you’ll talk to them briefly, but no more than twenty minutes. Think you can do that?”  
  
“Sure you want me to, sir? I’m the last guy to explain this shit.”  
  
Herc leveled a look at the American. “You’re not the blond idiot you pretend to be, so don’t give me that shit. Nobody in this room would believe you anyway. I need those two scientists to be able to hold it together so I can bring them the help they really need. Right now, they’re freaked out that they’re sticking so close together.”  
  
“Got it.”  
  
He nodded once. “All right, anyone who wants to hang out here instead of elsewhere is welcome to stay.”  
  
“No thanks,” Raleigh said.  
  
“Fuck no.”  
  
Enjoying the moment, Herc asked, “Mako?”  
  
“I would prefer to wear something other than a hospital gown and be amongst my own things, thank you.”  
  
Herc grinned at her. “All right, then, it’s unanimous. The doc’ll stop by your quarters at 1800 tonight to check on each of you.” Herc unzipped the bag and passed out PPDC-issue blue denim shirts and sweatpants to Mako and Raleigh, and a Striker Eureka-emblazoned tan denim shirt and canvas walking shorts to Chuck as the nurse arrived with discharge instructions and a wheelchair for Chuck.  
  
Raleigh looked at his copilot. “Sorry, Mako, but you’re not going to want to wear a bra, given where those scars are.”  
  
“Raleigh’s right,” the female nurse said apologetically. “At least not for a few more days.”  
  
Mako considered the navy blue shirt she’d been given. She’d been wearing the hospital gown buttoned with the buttons in front. “I need a hand getting dressed. I’m afraid to stretch.”  
  
“Let me help you with that,” the nurse said, and proceeded to do exactly that in a way that preserved Mako’s modesty.  
  
Herc turned his attention to Raleigh and Chuck while the nurse attended to Mako, giving them each a hand in turn so they could get out of their hospital gowns and into the clothes he’d brought. Having drivesuit scars of his own, he knew that a button-down shirt was easier to deal with while healing than a knit shirt since it didn’t require stretching the muscles as much.  
  
Predictably, Chuck made a face at the motorized wheelchair and Herc’s silent offer to help, but he accepted his father’s assistance into it nonetheless. “Sorry, kid, but until your shoulder’s healed, you’re in this,” Herc told him.  
  
“Considering I thought I’d be dead, I’ll deal,” Chuck replied. “And you have that look that says we’re headed somewhere.”  
  
Herc grinned. “You think I’d let you guys miss the party in the mess hall? Don’t drink anything the Cherno Alpha techs offer you; it’s Russian moonshine.”  
  
“In that case, I’d like to wear something else,” Mako said, voice cracking slightly. “I’ve never been a fan of sweatpants. I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes.”  
  
Herc nodded, letting her precede them out of the room.  
  


* * *

  
“So how’s the hangover?” Raleigh asked Chuck, looking too cheerful for a guy who’d been doing shots all night.  
  
Braced carefully against the mess hall table, Chuck flipped him off, and was surprised to see Raleigh slide a glass full of water and a packet of painkillers his way. Gratefully, Chuck took the offered drink and pills. “How come you aren’t hung over?”  
  
“Some of the shots I was doing were water.” Raleigh grinned. “Old trick I learned from Gipsy’s original crew chief. Drink twice as much water as you do alcohol and you won’t be as hung over the next morning. Surprised your dad didn’t tell you about that one.”  
  
“Fuck off, Raleigh.”  
  
Raleigh chuckled. “If you’re up to it, Mako wants your opinion on the circuit boards.”  
  
Chuck sighed and looked at the tray of food he’d been picking at, in hopes of settling his stomach. “Might as well.”  
  
Raleigh nodded and picked up the tray. Chuck had gotten the hang of the motorized chair the previous evening, and waited for Raleigh to dump the tray off at the tray return before accompanying him to the jaeger bay.  
  
“How’d talking to the scientists go?” Chuck wondered as they exited the mess hall.  
  
“Better than I expected,” Raleigh admitted. “They were looking for reassurance, mainly, that the echoes they were getting were normal. They aren’t used to being physically close to each other; I got the impression they’ve spent the last ten years annoying each other.”  
  
Chuck nodded carefully. “Glad they did it, but drifting with a kaiju… that just sounds dangerous.”  
  
“From what they said, it wasn’t something they want to repeat.” Raleigh was quiet a moment. “Newt said Otachi broke through the shelter and tried to lick him.”  
  
Chuck shuddered. “That’s closer than I ever want to be to a kaiju.”  
  
“With any luck, none of us will have to fight kaiju again,” Raleigh said as he matched Chuck’s pace. “You ever think about what you’d do if the kaiju were all gone?”  
  
“Never let myself think about it,” Chuck admitted. “You?”  
  
“Figured I’d die in a jaeger,” Raleigh said. “Right as we dropped, I realized I didn’t want to die. There’s so much I haven’t done, y’know?”  
  
“What, you want to get married and have sprogs?”  
  
“Not necessarily,” Raleigh countered. “I haven’t dated women since Yancy and I almost killed each other over the same woman. I’m bi, but I prefer guys.”  
  
Startled by this information, Chuck looked at Raleigh, then eyed him speculatively. “And you’re telling me this why?”  
  
Raleigh shrugged. “Just didn’t want you to be surprised. You know how the public interprets Drift compatibility.”  
  
Chuck growled, remembering how some people had insinuated that Herc was abusing him. “Yeah. Who’d started the incest shit?”  
  
Raleigh sighed. “Blame the Gages. They shared people, didn't care if anyone saw them kissing each other in the 'dome, blamed it on the Drift if anyone asked. Invited Yancy and me once, but Yancy told them no for both of us.”  
  
Chuck looked surprised. “You went with it?”  
  
“Yancy always had his reasons. Wasn’t until later I saw a memo issued to all jaeger pilots reminding them to practice safe sex.”  
  
Chuck stared at Raleigh. “My dad said something once about ‘stupid twins not keeping their pants zipped’…he was referring to the Gages, wasn’t he?”  
  
“Probably,” Raleigh agreed. Raleigh keyed in the code to open the massive jaeger bay door, then caught up with Chuck.  
  
The half-finished jaeger was in three pieces on the bay floor to make working with the circuitry easier. An army of techs swarmed over the jaeger, welding and screwing in various pieces. Seeing Raleigh and Chuck, Mako met them in the middle.  
  
“You were right,” she said to Chuck, handing him a tablet. “The code on the shoulder rockets was from the Gages. The Gipsy crew chief said she recognized it, and had it recoded to standard this morning.” She studied him. “I told we told you not to drink anything purple.”  
  
Chuck growled. “It was sweet.”  
  
“And PPDC party punch,” Raleigh informed him. “Thought everybody knew not to drink that stuff. It’s every available bottle of liquor mixed with Hawaiian Punch or whatever fruit juice on hand.”  
  
Chuck glared at him. “I’m kicking your ass next time we’re in the kwoon for that.”  
  
“It’s not his fault,” Mako pointed out. “The Gipsy crew chief said it was tradition to make that after a big kill.”  
  
“Wasn’t like that in Sydney,” Chuck griped. He knew Mako had been very obviously pacing herself all evening, unwilling to show her grief publicly; there’d been tears in her eyes when she’d shown up at the start of the party. Chuck suspected she’d taken the excuse of changing clothes to let herself grieve over her father.  
  
Raleigh laughed. “So now you know what you were missing,” he pointed out, taking the second tablet Mako handed him. He studied the schematics a moment. “Think this would be a lot of multi-tasking. Kaiju could rip your arm off before you got a shot.” He paused and looked at Chuck. “No offense to Striker, but it seems like you standing and firing would be too much opportunity for a kaiju to strike.”  
  
Chuck focused on his tablet, reading the translated code. “Before a few days ago, mate, I’d have said you were crazy for thinking that about my jaeger. But yeah, we need mobility. If we’d been able to fire even ten seconds faster, Leatherback couldn’t have taken us out with that EMP. The Gages were thinking of long-range, not close-quarters.” He looked at the jaeger on the floor. “You’ve a frame for a brawler, Mako. Not a tank.”  
  
Mako sighed. “I was afraid you’d say that. We’re limited in what we can do.”  
  
“How about we leave the shoulder rockets for long-range and turn the on-switch to an actual switch?” Chuck suggested. “If we could wound the kaiju before it gets close, that’s time we buy.”  
  
Mako nodded, and the trio continued discussing options, given what they had and what they’d learned. Sometime during their discussion, one of the techs brought Mako and Raleigh chairs and a crate to serve as a table. It wasn’t long before one of the programmers was brought in to redo the code and argue the logistics of what they were proposing. By the time Herc showed up, Max in tow, the little group had expanded to include a senior engineer and the lead outfitter.  
  
“This looks serious,” Herc noted, adding, “At ease, folks,” when a few of them started to rise and salute out of respect for his rank. “What’s going on?”  
  
“Based on the kaiju we encountered, we’re turning this into the baddest thing we can on short notice,” Chuck told him. “Won’t replace a brand-new jaeger for optimum efficiency, but it’s going to be killer.”  
  
“Ranger Becket, I still think configuring the neural interface to handle a higher single-point load is dangerous,” the senior engineer protested, continuing the conversation Herc had interrupted.  
  
Raleigh glared at the middle-aged man. “If you don’t create a better switching process, Luis, you’ll wind up shoving the full load into the other pilot’s brain and you’ll wind up with me. I have days where I wake up and think I’m my brother. Or if you have a pair of pilots who have only minimum capability, like the pilots of Puma Real, you’ll wind up with two dead pilots and a rampaging kaiju.”  
  
Luis stared at Raleigh a moment before taking his tablet and quickly making the changes to the code. “I should note that this would be an emergency procedure only and should not be used as a regular process.”  
  
“Wasn’t suggesting anything else. But given how the kaiju adapted, and how we still have a conn-pod where they expect it to be, we have to be prepared for that,” Raleigh replied mildly.  
  
“So you’ve fixed the interface problem?” Herc asked.  
  
“Yes. We’ve found enough parts to rewire the jaeger and add swords as well,” Mako said. “We are now discussing the neural interfaces and some internal upgrades. If Chuck and Raleigh can agree on the machine-assisted movement, we can begin assembly immediately.”  
  
“Machine-assisted movement?” Herc asked, intrigued.  
  
“One of the upgrades that came with this jaeger frame, sir,” Luis said. “The designer thought that if the machine did more of the work, the fatigue rate for the pilots would be less. Ranger Hansen is arguing that you lose connection with your jaeger that way, even though I’ve pointed out that Striker had a similar build.”  
  
Raleigh passed his tablet to Herc so he could see the schematic. “You know the old Mark IIIs were hell on the pilots – you had to be in perfect shape and you couldn’t do anything that would ruin your lung power. Mako put in these newer fluid synapses when she rebuilt Gipsy – made a hell of difference in how quickly we could move.”  
  
Herc’s eyes narrowed. “You’re thinking you might have to climb into a jaeger at less than 100%.”  
  
Raleigh nodded as the penny dropped for Chuck. “If this is the last jaeger standing, sir, we’re the last pilots capable of making sure we send the kaiju back to hell. You got fifty candidates who could do it, but they’re not experienced the way we are. Any advantage we can give them, if we’re not the jaeger pilots you put in this jaeger, is only going to help.”  
  
“Then do it,” Herc ordered. To the senior engineer, the programmer, and the lead outfitter, he asked, “Can you set up the displays so you get feedback on physical machine response time?”  
  
The trio nodded. “We put something similar into Gipsy Danger, figuring that the pilots wouldn’t know the older models had an issue.”  
  
“Anything else before you get it rewired and put back together?” Herc asked, handing the tablet back to Raleigh.  
  
“No, sir,” Mako said.  
  
“Luis, can you run with what has been decided?” Herc asked. “These three need to meet with PR.”  
  
“Of course, sir.”  
  


* * *

  
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Pacific News Network’s continuing coverage of the latest developments from ‘Operation Pitfall.’ I’m Brian Waller with Anne Kung in Hong Kong. Anne, what’s the latest?”  
  
“Brian, it’s been a week since Operation Pitfall, and the official word is that the pilots have been released from the Shatterdome’s medical clinic. The good news is none of them are suffering from radiation sickness as first initially feared. The bad news is that none of them escaped unscathed. The official list of injuries shows that Rangers Mori, Becket, and Hansen all were severely burned by their drive suits – a common injury among jaeger pilots whose jaegers were damaged by kaiju. Ranger Chuck Hansen is the worst injured, with a torn leg muscle, and a broken wrist. This is significantly good news, as Marshal Hansen has been spied walking Striker’s mascot, Max, in the Shatterdome’s exercise yard, and speculation has been rampant that perhaps Chuck did not survive the confirmed explosion of Striker Eureka after all.”  
  
“Anne, I know the world is clamoring to see our new heroes. It’s hard for me to think of a recent kaiju kill without Chuck reminding us he’s setting new records. When will we see them again?”  
  
Anne laughed lightly at the mention of Chuck. “I’ve been assured by the PPDC’s public relations director that we will see them soon, perhaps as early as tonight. There has been a lot of activity at the Shatterdome over the last few days, with numerous visitors in and out of the facility, including several diplomats and a representative of the UN. The head of the joint military force that has been working offshore has reported that all parts of Striker Eureka that can be recovered have been recovered.”  
  
“Can you address the claims that the kaiju are coming back?”  
  
“Brian, the Swedish Seismic Institute, which has been independently monitoring Breach activity, has confirmed that the Breach appears to be inactive. The joint military force has also confirmed that the Breach is sealed, and sent us this video from a specially sealed remotely operated vehicle as proof.” The newscast spooled the reel of video. “If the kaiju come back, Brian, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be as easy as the first time.”  
  
“Thank you, Anne. Stay tuned for further updates. In other news, kaiju cultists across the Pacific Rim are damning the PPDC’s actions and have called for the destruction of the surviving jaeger pilots as well as anyone associated with the PPDC. Interpol and various police agencies across the world are on alert for any attempt to harm the jaeger pilots….”  
  
José Esteban-Rizal flipped off the video feed and turned to Herc, who was dressed in a crisp navy suit. “You sure you want to plunge into that fray?” the Peruvian asked.  
  
“You’re here,” Herc said easily, grinning. “And you agreed to be my 2IC, so if anyone’s going to be asking that question, it’s me of you. If you’d have answered your damn email two months ago, you’d have been here sooner instead of being paid shill for the news.”  
  
“Told you, I changed email providers because I got hit with kaiju hate mail.”  
  
Herc waved off the excuse. “Uh huh, and nobody told you about Stacker’s plan to keep going.”  
  
“I didn’t think either of you meant it!” José protested.  
  
Herc laughed. “You never did.”  
  
“You always made me want to fight dirty,” José said mournfully.  
  
Herc waited, a grin tugging at the edge of his mouth. Like a lot of the Shatterdome marshals, José was one of the guys who hadn’t made it through jaeger pilot testing, but had enough talent and skill to be directed into jaeger engineering instead. He was also, Herc had discovered, a dojo-trained master of ju-jitsu who, in his youth, had competed internationally. José had been the one to suggest not all of the jaegers be built like tanks, that they needed to move like the fighters they were. Fighting dirty had never been the Peruvian’s problem; he just preferred to be a gentleman – which made him the perfect foil for Herc.  
  
“All right,” José said, straightening his suit. “Let’s fire the first shot.”  
  
He tapped some commands onto the wireless keyboard. The Shatterdome’s intercom responded with, “Attention all personnel. The post-Pitfall interview shall commence in fifteen minutes in Bay 5. Attention all personnel, the post-Pitfall interview shall commence in fifteen minutes in Bay 5.”  
  
Herc and José quickly made their way to Bay 5, where the newly christened Omega Envoy stood, complete. At the base of the jaeger were Raleigh, Mako, and Chuck. Unlike José and Herc, who wore navy blue suits, the three rangers were dressed more casually, in T-shirts and shorts. The T-shirts, as expected, were of jaegers – but not of any they piloted, in deliberate homage to those pilots most recently lost. Mako’s was one she’d had forever: Coyote Tango, while Chuck and Raleigh sported Crimson Typhoon and Cherno Alpha, respectively. It was a blatant reminder that while they’d been the ones to close the Breach, other pilots had also died.  
  
Chuck was still using the wheelchair, since his wrist wouldn’t allow him to use crutches for the next eight to twelve weeks. Max lay quietly in his lap as he’d been trained to do for interviews like this. Chuck’s left leg stuck out, since it was in a knee-high cast.  
  
The three PR people were busy arranging Raleigh, Mako, and Chuck so that they were all seated with the new jaeger as a backdrop. By silent agreement, the chair to Chuck’s right held a black jaeger pilot’s helmet – the PPDC’s now-traditional tribute to the fallen.  
  
Nicole, the head of PR, directed Herc to the chair in the middle, sandwiching him between Chuck and Mako. “You’all ready to do this?” she asked.  
  
“Ready when you are,” Herc told her after a glance at his companions.  
  
“All right, the first interview’s with the Pacific News Network followed by CNN International,” Nicole announced, turning on the large-screen monitor placed in front of the row of chairs so they’d have a reference point to look at. Beside her, Pieter Kubrov manned the camera while May Louise monitored the incoming feed. “And we are live in one, two, three.”  
  
“I’m Anne Kung, and you are watching Pacific News Network. Joining us live from the Hong Kong Shatterdome are the Heroes of the Breach – Marshal Herc Hansen, Ranger Chuck Hansen, Ranger Mako Mori, and Ranger Raleigh Becket. First off, I’d like to congratulate all of you for your success….”  
  
As soon as the interviews were over, Herc looked at Nicole. “What do you think?”  
  
“Think they got the message we’re not going to lay down and go away,” she said. “Good work.”  
  
“All right, Max, up and off,” Chuck commanded, and the bulldog jumped down from his lap before tottering off to Herc, who picked up the leash Chuck hadn’t bothered to pick up. “Where to next?” he asked Herc.  
  
“Up to you three,” Herc said. “José and I have some conference calls with the PPDC’s backers, but you’re free to do whatever you want. Just don’t go into the city without security, and watch it if you’re near the gate. I wouldn’t put it past the cultists to throw a bomb at us.”  
  
Chuck grimaced at the thought before turning to Raleigh and Mako. “Well. You two have plans?”  
  
“I saw there’s a videogame setup in the jaeger pilot lounge,” Raleigh said. “No clue what games there are, but…”  
  
“You’re on,” Chuck said instantly.  
  
“You might regret this,” Mako warned them both, but she followed anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't ask me to continue this. It's sat on my hard drive for years at this point, and while I usually don't say 'never' to finishing stuff, this is one of the exceptions, since I already wrote the rest of the story, and there are plot lines I chose not to follow as a result. If you're inspired to write it, go forth with my permission.


End file.
